Body Language on Nonverbal Communication 非言语交流身体语言研究.docx

非言语交流中的身体语言摘要：语言和文化都属于社会现象。不同的语言反映了不同的国家文化。身体语言，和我们的口语一样，也是文化的一部分。但并不是所有的身体语言在不同的文化中都表达同样的意思。不同的人们有不同的非言语交流方法。因此，为了有效的用外语交流，我们必须要知道身体语言中的姿势，身体活动，方式等。从某种意义上说，在一定的语境中，所有的身体语言都应该被翻译过来。忽视身体语言就会导致误解。中西方身体语言有相同点也有很多不同点，不同的文化对非言语交流也有很大的影响。关键词：非言语交流；身体语言；不同文化；不同方式Body Language on Nonverbal CommunicationAbstract：Both the language and the culture belong to the social phenomenon. Different languages reflect the differences of national cultures. “Body language”, like our verbal language, is also a part of our culture. But not all body language means the same thing in different cultures. Different people have different ways of making nonverbal communication. So in order to communicate effectively in a foreign language, one should know also the gestures, body movements, and manners etc. that accompany a particular language. In a sense, all body languages should be interpreted, within a given context; to ignore the overall situation would be misleading. A comparative study of Chinese and western body languages show a number of similarities and diversities of body languages, which have different influence on nonverbal language after stating different cultures.Key words:  nonverbal communication; body language; different culture; different ways 1. IntroductionCulture consists of the values, attitudes, behaviors and beliefs shared by a group of people. Different countries have different cultures. Culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another. (Hofstede, 1991) to live in a new century means experiencing the different ways of communication. This is very exciting and interesting, but it can also be a little challenging at times. The cultures of all countries are unique, which means that people who have grown up in different places will have different ways of behaving, different ways of thinking about things and different ways of expressing themselves. This means that culture is like a kind of glue that holds society together. We learn about the culture of our own society in a very natural way as we grow up- it is in the "do's" and "don'ts" about how we treat people, how we behave and what we believe in that we learn as children.Nonverbal communication, composed of pictures, dresses, eye contact, spatial signals, gestures and so on, is as important as verbal communication. The study of nonverbal communication should be complementary to the study of language. The understanding of one should be helpful in the further understanding of the other. Some authorities feel that the two are dependent on each other. This is certainly true in most situations. But it is also true that in some certain situation body action contradicts what is being said, just as the spoken words may mean something quite different from what nonverbal communication communicates. When this occurs, one must try to get further information, or guess the meaning from the context of the situation. In a case, all nonverbal communication should be interpreted within a certain given context; to ignore the overall situation could be misleading. Therefore, in this paper, we attempt to discuss the intercultural differences in body language, especially those in gesture, posture, eye language, touch and distance. 2. The Necessity and Importance of Learning Body Language on Nonverbal CommunicationAlthough we may not realize it, when we converse with others we communicate by much more than words. By our expressions, gestures and other body movements we send messages to those around us; a smile and an outstretched hand show welcome. A form is a sign of pleasure. Nodding ones head means agreement“Yes”. Waving an outstretched hand with open palm is the gesture for “goodbye”. Leaning back in ones seat and yawning at a talk or lecture shows lack of interest, boredom. These gestures have come to be accepted in general as having the meanings mentioned, at least to Chinese and Americans. There are parts of the way in which we communicate. This “body language”, like our verbal language, is also a part of our culture. But not all body language means the same thing in different cultures. Different people have different ways of making nonverbal communication. So in order to communicate effectively in a foreign language, one should know also the gestures, body movements, mannerisms etc. that accompany a particular language.Body language is an important way through which people communicate with each other. Sometime body language prevails over words. It refers to the patterns of facial expressions and gestures that people use to express their feelings in communication. The specialist on body language researchFen·Lafle·Angles, once said: "Once it was lost, a baby couldnt have grown into a normal person". Its also true to the juveniles. In school education, body language plays a positive role in cultivating the students characters. 3. The Concrete Types and Application of the Body Language 3.1   Types of body language3.1.1 Distance between people conversingDistance between the two is the key factor. Different people have different ideas about the proper distance between people conversing. We have found that the important thing to keep in mind is that most English-speaking people do not like people to be too close. Being too far apart, of course, may be awkward, but being too close makes people uncomfortable, unless there is a reason, such as showing affection or encouraging intimacy. But that is another matter. In some Asian countries, it is quite common to see people shoving and crowding on buses and in most public places, which might startle the English-speaking people greatly. Therefore, the lack of knowledge of cultural differences may lead to considerable misunderstanding.       3.1.2 In English-speaking countries, physical contact in conversation is generally avoided among ordinary friends or acquaintances.The appropriateness of physical contact varies with different cultures. In Englishspeaking countries, physical contact is generally avoided in conversation among ordinary friends or acquaintances. Merely touching someone may cause an unpleasant reaction. If one touches another person accidentally, he/she usually utters an apology such as “Sorry, “Oh”, “Im sorry”, “Excuse me”, etc.In China, a common complaint of western mothers is that Chinese often fondle their babies and very small children. Such behaviorwhether touching, patting, hugging or kissingcan be quite embarrassing and awkward for the mothers. They know that no harm is meant, and that such gestures are merely signs of friendliness or affection, therefore they cannot openly show their displeasure. On the other hand, such actions in their own culture would be considered rude, intrusive and offensive, and could arouse a strong dislike and even repugnance. So the mothers often stand by and watch in awkward silence, with mixed emotions, even when the fondling is required by Chinese friends or acquaintances.The matter of physical contact between members of the same sex in English-speaking countries is a delicate one. Once past childhood, the holding of hands, or walking with an arm around anothers shoulder is not considered proper. The implication is homosexuality, and homosexuality generally arouses strong social disapproval in these countries.3.1.3 Eye contactEye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite a list of “rules” about eye contact: to look or not to look; when to look and how long to look; who and whom not to look at.In conversations with people who know each other, however, American custom demands that there should be eye contact. This applies to both the speaker and the listener. For either one not to look at the other person could imply a number of things, among which are fear, contempt, uneasiness, guilt, indifferenceeven in public speaking there should be plenty of eye contact. For a speaker to “bury his nose in his manuscript”, to read a speech instead of looking at and talking to hidden audience, as some Chinese speakers are in the habit of doing, would be regarded as inconsiderate and disrespectful.In conversations, a person shows that he is listening by looking at the other persons eyes or face. If the other person is speaking at some length, the listener will occasionally make sounds like “Hmm”, “Ummm”, or nod his head to indicate his attention. If he agrees with the speaker, he may nod or smile. If he disagrees or has some reservations, he may slant his head to one side, raise an eyebrow, and have a quizzical look.The eyes communicate more than any other part of the human anatomy. Staring or gazing at others can create pressure or tension in the room. Gangs have fought over the way someone looked at them. Shifty eyes, too much blinking can suggest deception. People with eye movements that are relaxed and comfortable, yet attentive to the person they are conversing with are seen as more sincere and honest.“The language of the eyes”one of the most common and ancient ways of exchanging feelings between boys and girls, men and womenis especially elaborate in the United States. Much study has been made of this: how people of the opposite sex show interest or indifference, encouragement or discouragement, approval or disapproval, affection or aversion. However, there are many differences even within the United States. Men use their eyes in different ways women do; there are differences of age, class or social status and geographical region; there are differences of ethnic background.The story is told of a teenage Puerto Rican girl in a New York high school who was taken with a number of other girls to the principal for suspected smoking. Although there was no proof of any wrongdoing and although she had a good record, the principal decided she was guilty and suspended her. “There was something sly and suspicious about her,” he said in his report. “She just wouldnt meet my eye. She wouldnt look at me.”When she was questioned by the principal it was true that she kept staring at the floor and refused to meet his eye. And in English there is a saying “Dont trust anyone who wont look at you in the eye.” It so happened that one of the teachers had a Latin American background and knew about Puerto Rican culture. After talking with the girls parents, he went to the principal and explained that according to Puerto Rican culture, a good girl “does not meet the eyes of an adult.” Such behavior, he explained, “is a sign of respect and obedience.”                                                 3.1.4 Smiles and laughterThere are 50 or so different types of human smiles. By analyzing the movements of over 80 facial muscles involved in smiling, researchers can tell when a smile is true. Look for the crinkle in the skin at the middle, outside corner of the eyes and if it is not there, the smile is probably fake. Authentic smiles are smiles that change rapidly from a small facial movement to a broad open expressionSmiles and laughter usually convey friendliness, approval, satisfaction, pleasure, joy and merriment. This is generally true in China as well as the English-speaking countries. However, there are situations when some Chinese will laugh that will cause negative reactions by westerners. To illustrate, here is an excerpt from a letter by an American to a Chinese friend on nonverbal gestures that often cause cross-cultural misunderstanding: “One is the different meaning of laughter in China and American. When an American is parking his bicycle, for example, and the bicycle accidentally falls over, he feels embarrassed at his awkwardness, and is quite angered and humiliated when Chinese onlookers laugh. I have seen the same thing happen in the dining room, when a foreigner drops a plate quite by accident and feels badly and Chinese onlookers laugh, compounding his discomfort and causing anger and bad feeling.” Such laughter, of course, is not at the person or his misfortunewhether he be a foreigner or a Chinese. It can convey a number of feelings: dont take it so seriously; laugh it off, its nothing; such things can happen to any of us, etc. However, for people unaware of this attitude, the reaction to such laughter is usually quite unpleasant and often generates ill feeling towards those laughing.In eastern Asian countries, people do not readily show emotions. They are conditioned to use the face to conceal rather than reveal their feelings. For example, the Japanese smile is not necessarily a spontaneous expression of amusement, but a law of etiquette, elaborated and cultivated from early times. It is a silent language, often seemingly inexplicable to Europeans, and it may arouse violent anger in them as a consequence. In Africa, laughter is used by black people to express surprise, wonder, embarrassment and even discomfiture; it is not necessarily, or even often a sign of amusement; the significance given to “black laughter” is due to a mistake of supposing that similar symbols have identical meanings. Thus it is that even if the behavior were present, its cultural and emotional functions may differ. 3.1.5 GesturesGestures can be particularly troublesome, for a slight difference in making the gesture itself can mean something quite different from which intended. A wrong interpretation of a gesture can arouse quite unexpected reactions.A well-known case is a gesture made by Winston Churchill, the doughty prime minister who led Britain through the Second World War. As he appeared before a large crowd, he was greeted with cheers and applause. The occasion was a momentous one and Churchill flashed the “V for victory” signwith the forefinger and middle finger raised to form a “V”. Whether by mistake or ignorance, instead of facing the palm of his hand to the front, he made the “V” with the back of his hand towards the audience. Some in the crowd applauded; some gasped; some broke out in laughter. The prime ministers gesture, as given, meant quite something else. Instead of “V for victory”, it meant something dirty; it was an obscene gesture!Although we are normally not aware of it, most of us use gestures when we are talking. And we have found that gestures used within one culture are quite different from those used in another culture. Lets take the sign for beckoning for example. In America, when a person wants to signal a friend to come, he or she makes the gesture with one hand, palm up, fingers more or less together and moving towards his or her body. In Japan, when beckoning someone to approach, one extends the arm slightly upwards and cups the hand, with the fingers pointed down, making a clockwise motion. While in Germany, a beckoning motion is made by tossing the head back. The use of head movement to indicate “yes” or “no” also varies with cultures. For “yes”, some cultures (e.g. the Western Europe and the United